Rain pattered down on the soaking the forest.
Frantic squelching of footsteps echoed amoungst the trees.
Each step felt deeper, heavier swallowed by the mud.
A group of children ran desperately, eyes wide with terror in what felt like they were hot in pursuit.
But it was just fear taking over.
The forest twisted around them, darker with every stride, shadows thickening like a curtain. The screams from the village behind still echoed through the woods, fuelling their panic.
A Gray-haired boy clung to the back of another, shouting, "Raion, slow down! We can't let Jacquez lose us!"
Jacquez lagged far behind, struggling under the weight of both Alexis and their supplies. "WAIT UP, RAION!" he cried, breath ragged.
But Raion didn't hear them—at least not in any meaningful way. His mind was consumed by one primal command:
RUN.
Fear overtook reason. No destination. No direction. Just flight.
But then suddenly, Raion's foot snagged on a root.
He tripped, sending Xavier tumbling from his back. Both boys crashed down a muddy hill.
Thump
They hit the bottom hard.
Raion lay sprawled ahead, vision blurred. Xavier winced and cried out, clutching his ankle. "Aghh! Its hurts!" His ankle jutted out awkwardly dislocated, maybe broken.
Raion slowly sat up, dazed. Behind him, Xavier reached out with trembling fingers, tears mixing with the rain.
Pleading. "Raion… help me…"
Raion froze.
"Please…" Xavier sobbed. "Help me…"
Raion crouched there, unmoving, his breathing rapid and shallow. His heart pounded against his ribs like it was trying to escape.
Desperate now. "Raion—please!" Xavier's voice cracked through the rain. "Help me!"
Xavier breathing heavily says "please raion help!" he begs and pleads but raions own thoughts start to tune him out as all he could think about was running
I need to help him. Run.
He's hurt. He can't get away without me.
He'll just slow me down. Even if we run together, how do we escape? Run.
This forest is endless. I'm too scared. But I have to help him....
Why me?
Why do I have to be the one to help him? I'm scared too. He's also my best friend. No hes a burden.
RUN.
As Xavier kept calling from him it all fell on death ears as…
Xavier kept calling, pleading, crying out—but to Raion, it all became muffled. Like sound underwater.
The forest pressed in. Trees loomed taller. The shadows thickened. The rain grew colder. And above it all: the sound.
Screams. Distant. Close. Everywhere.
Rustling. Things moving in the dark. Watching. Crawling.
Every sound stabbed deeper into Raion's mind. His thoughts frayed. His vision tunnelled. His chest heaved.
Then, silence.
Everything, even his own thoughts, cut out.
CRACK.
A branch snapped.
That was all it took.
Raion bolted. Mud flew as he pushed off the ground, nearly slipping in the panic. He didn't look back. Not once.
Xavier's hand was still outstretched, his voice broken. "Raion…" he whispered.
His expression twisted confusion first, then disbelief. Then nothing. Just silence.
His arm fell slowly to his side. rain streamed down his cheeks, but his eyes were wide, unblinking.
His best friend his most trusted had left him.
Left him to die.
"RAION, XAVIER!" as more footsteps approached fast.
Jacquez skidded down the hill, red energy flaring around him. Alexis, now awake, in Jacquez arms, channelling mana into him.
Jacquez landed beside Xavier. Alexis yelled out "Where's Raion?!"
Xavier's voice was hollow. "He left me."
"What?" both Jacquez and Alexis said in unison.
"Talk later. We need to go," Xavier groaned. "Jacquez, I'll need you to carry me. My ankle's wrecked."
Alexis sighs reaching her hand out, other touching her amulet. Crimson light enveloped his ankle.
Bones shifted, joints aligned not just healing, but as if reverting the injury entirely."
"Thanks. Let's go."
They ran deeper into the forest, leaving behind the betrayal.
Meanwhile, far from the fleeing children… A village in ruins.
The village lay in utter ruin. Blood soaked the streets, bodies were strewn across stone paths like discarded puppets, and ruined buildings stood cracked and broken—still mostly intact but clearly scarred.
If any had been reduced to rubble, it was undoubtedly the work of Skull Lord.
"Alright Boneheads, bring all the bodies and pile them in front of me." Zero's voice echoed across the broken town square. As all the skeletons left to collect.
As the skeletal soldiers dispersed to gather the corpses—
A sudden explosion erupted from a building further down the street, a shockwave blasting debris and a thick dust cloud into the air.
No one flinched
But from the haze emerged Skull Lord, roaring as he stomped through the wreckage, all six of his blazing eyes glowing brighter than ever.
He marched forward, four massive arms holding and cradling mangled bodies—his grim trophies.
"SKULL LORD!" Zero beamed, waving both arms excitedly.
"Mmm... I forgot about him," Alana mused, mildly confused as she drifted in the air.
When Skull Lord reached the centre, he dropped the heap of corpses right where Zero had instructed. Obedient. Precise.
Zero ran up, gesturing enthusiastically for him to lower his head. "Well done skull lord you've master very proud HA!"
He cheered, giving the skeletal giant a hearty pat on the skulls
In response, Skull Lord clattered all three sets of his jagged teeth, a sound like a monstrous chuckle of approval.
"Haha no way. That abomination got more praise than you two," Alana teased, floating with one ghostly hand covering her mouth in mock amusement.
Augustus, standing nearby, didn't respond—only looked away, a little embarrassed.
Behind him, Arceus trotted up quietly with something in his mouth: a charred, mystic robe, singed at the ends but still humming with a magical glow.
The beast nudged Augustus and let out a cold burst of ghostly steam from his bony nostrils..
It was unmistakably Myrthandor's inner robe—battered, but still radiating something ancient. Interesting, he thought, gently patting Arceus' skull as he examined it with care.
Then, Zero suddenly paused.
Zero now realising "wait, where are the other two I sent with you, Skull lord?"
Skull Lord tilted his head, one set of teeth clicking in confusion.
"Hey Zero, come and check this out." Alana's voice reverberated inside his head like a whispered thought made loud.
Zero turned sharply. The two skeletons from earlier were returning, each holding a limp man by the arms, dragging him between them.
"Huh?" Zero blinked, then darted toward them.
The man looked unconscious, slumped in their grip. Zero crouched close, studying his face.
"Tch... these damn skeletons, ruined my plan to stay hidden"the man thought grimly, barely cracking open one eye to check if the coast was clear.
The moment he saw Zero's grinning face—he screamed.
"NO! DON'T KILL ME PLEASE! PLEASE, I'LL DO ANYTHING! I BEG YOU - SPARE MY LIFE!"
He flailed wildly, legs kicking, body writhing—but the skeletons held firm, like cold statues of death.
Zero tilted his head. "Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you."
The man froze mid-squirm. "...You're not?"
With an utterly flat expression, Zero held up his hands. "I need a favor."
Alana watched silently, arms crossed, eyes narrowed in amusement. She already knew where this was going.
The man blinked. He had no other choice. It was either this—or die.
Zero extended his hand. Slowly, the man took it, trembling.
"Y-yeah sure... wh-what do you need?"
"I need you to go to the local town near this village."
"Sora? Why!?"
Zero nodded toward the destruction around them. "You can see what I've done here. If word gets out... it'll be a problem."
"To avoid this I need you check in there…"
The man swallowed hard. "No... I can't deceive my own people. Please, Necromancer, anything bu—"
"Ooo, Zero, I think someone wants to die," Alana interrupted playfully.
"You think, Alana?" Zero replied with a smirk, his aura flaring to life—dark energy gathering ominously around him.
The man's face went pale, nearly collapsing in terror.
"NO NO NO—FINE! I'LL DO IT! I JUST WANT TO LIVE, DAMMIT!"
Zero sighed, mildly annoyed. "Alright, calm down." The dark aura faded as he crouched again to meet the man eye to eye.
The man gulped and asked hesitantly, "C-could I ask a question?"
Zero groaned. "Fine. One. But if you interrupt my terms again... there won't be a next time."
"O-okay! Okay…" He took a breath, steadied himself.
"How will my life be assured?"
Zero smirked.
The Book of Deluxe snapped open midair, pages riffling rapidly until it found what it needed.
"Let me show you."
The skeletons lifted the man upright. His eyes darted around.
Zero raised his hand slowly. Wisps of violet thread, glowing faintly, emerged from his fingers—soul-weaved strands of necrotic energy.
The man looked scared as zero, pulled one of the soul like threads out
"W-what is that? Are you really going to kill me?"
"No." Zero's expression turned grave as he brought the thread closer. "This... is how we seal the deal." He continued: "Say these words: 'I vow to keep silent about everything I have learned relating to the Necromancer. This is my vow of silence.'"
The man hesitated.
"What happens if I break it?"
Zero narrowed his eyes. "Let's just say... neither of us wants that."
Swallowing his fear, the man nodded. The thread hovered, glowing, waiting.
He spoke:
"I vow to keep silent about everything I have learned relating to the Necromancer. This is my vow of silence."
Zero added solemnly: "And I vow never to spill this man's blood with my own hands. This is my vow of silence."
Instantly, the thread lashed forward, sewing the man's mouth shut in a flash of purple light.
Another thread also seeped into zero chest binding with his soul sealing the vow
The man panicked, screaming silently, flailing in terror.
Zero raised a finger. "Give it a minute."
The magic faded. The stitches vanished. He could move his jaw again.
"There. That wasn't so bad, was it?" Zero said, patting the man's shoulder with a faint grin.
The man nodded, overwhelmed but relieved.
Augustus, having watched the whole thing without a word, quietly closed his grimoire.
"You can go now. Do what I asked."
The skeletons released their grip. The man dropped to his knees, pressing his forehead to the dirt in gratitude before sprinting off down the road.
Zero's eyes tracked him.
From beneath the man's collar a snake-like and slithering-black tendril, crept across his back and vanished into his clothes.
Zero smirked.
"You know... if he's smart, he could find a loophole in that vow," Alana said lazily, floating nearby.
Zero flopped onto the ground, hands behind his head. "True... but he's too afraid of dying to try."
Alana gave a subtle nod of agreement.
Zero sat up again. "And let's just say... I've got a little extra insurance," he added with a Chaotic grin.
Alana narrowed her eyes slightly curious. Augustus remained silent, standing beside his grimoire.
Behind them, Arceus stood like a silent sentry.
From every street and alley, skeletons were returning while dragging or carrying corpses.
The Book of Deluxe floated back in front of him, flipping open once more.
This time, a mass resurrection. Tier 2 spell.
it will be a mass resurrection which is a tier two spell
Zero leaves book in air as it float facing his face
"Using blood would take too long," he muttered, coating his hands in translucent purple mana. With practiced grace, he began drawing a massive magic circle.
The air shimmered softly with power.
One hundred and seven skeletons returned, each contributing a body each, piling them in the circle.
By the time they came to the middle zero had finished the tier 2 resurrection circle.
Zero, nose wrinkled, pulled out his staff. "The stench…" He pinched his nose with one hand, placed the staff's tip on the pile, and infused it with blackened energy. The corpses withered, melting to bare bone.
At the circle's edge, zero stood hands gripping the staff, pouring mana into it.
Alana while observing commented
"He's still not even officially E-rank. Just a novice necromancer, makes sense he's using the staff to amplify his mana so he can cast Tier 2 magic."
Augustus kept watching, puzzled. "Is he really that weak, Mistress?"
Alana's expression didn't change, but her tone sharpened. "Good question. But listen well, Augustus and remember this."
"A servant's strength is just mere a representation of its master strength."
"Take that. How you will"
Augustus didn't react outwardly, but he took note of every word.
Back to zero as he raises his staff with his hands up in air his fully charged staff vibrant, he then shouts…
"Souls of the Abyss, long severed from flesh, Hear my voice of dominion. Awaken and rise, serve as vessels of my will. Obey, endure, and march until all light is consumed… And chaos thrives!"
He slammed the staff into the ground.
A surge of purple light exploded outward, rattling the bones of the dead and living alike.
Arceus stood still, Augustus braced against him, Alana clutching Augustus as the wind roared.
Skeletons stood silent, entranced. Some were blown back but none moved of their own will.
The light intensified.
it was blinding and violent.
Zero stood in the heart of it, whispering:
"One hundred and eighty-eight more…"
Bones rose from the pile, silent soldiers awakening.
Zero turned to stride toward Augustus and Alana. "Now that I've got my new army, it's…" He staggered.
His steps grew unsteady.
"It's… ti-time…"
Alana and Augustus looked on, puzzled.
Zero's vision blurred. His legs buckled. "It's time f-for-"
He collapsed.
Unconscious.